This week in shows

Wednesday – 03/21
Under Byen
Chop Suey
Who are these guys? I haven’t the foggiest. This is why I turn to the ever-knowledgeable band site bio:

UNDER BYEN was formed in 1995 and has developed creatively and musically ever since. The band has recently gone through some changes regarding band members. Set to release their new album, SAMME STOF SOM STOF (SAME FABRIC AS FABRIC) the current UNDER BYEN members are: Henriette Sennenvaldt (vocal), Sara Saxild (bass), Thorbjørn Krogshede (piano), Nils Gröndahl (violin/saw), Morten Svenstrup (cello), Morten Larsen (drums), Stine Sørensen (drums), and Anders Stochholm (band doctor).

I’m heading to this tonight on a whimsical invite and I’m already stoked. More bands should have a resident violin player and a doctor. I’ve got a fever and the only cure is A) more violin or B) a doctor.

Thanks Under Byen!

Thursday – 03/22
Eric Clapton
Key Arena

Watch it, everyone. God’s here. Look busy.

My parents are going to this show. I’d love to go, but I can’t afford it. Oh, you old people with your old money. What worries me most is that someday I’ll be exactly like this, with whatever bands can hold it together long enough to hit the long tail of nostalgia.

Friday – 03/23
OOIOO/Kinski/Eyvind Kang
Chop Suey

This show promises instrumental insanity that will lead either to epiphany or aneurism. Let’s go get our noise-core on, our nails done, and our hair did.

Saturday – 03/24
Dead Meadow
Chop Suey

A veritable monkeysnout when I first encountered Dead Meadow, I was still enamoured. This is what I said then, nearly a year ago, when they played with Italy’s Jennifer Gentle:

Jennifer Gentle love the 60′s. Their newest album “Valende” is essentially a mash note to the decade, full of beautiful pop melodies, crazy and creative instrumentation, and a mean dollop of psychedelia.

The last of which was especially highlighted during their opening set for Dead Meadow at Chop Suey. My date and I had rolled in just after the other two opening acts, and thankfully were able to find a table and sit down before we had our minds blown.

Without a word, Jennifer Gentle took the stage, momentarily checked their tunings, and then dropped into their first song, a song which featured kazoos. At which point, I turned to my date, and stated this fact: “I love this band.”

Switching from straight on rock (these guys are signed to Sub Pop after all) to extended instrumental freak-outs, Jennifer Gentle kept the audience guessing, even as they drew them in ever closer. And then, as quietly as they had arrived, they left.

It would take a damn good band to not get upstaged by these sorts of upstarts; Dead Meadow is not a damn good band, but a great one. Taking a cue from their openers, they walked on stage, and immediately set to work. They kept their set heavy with songs from their newest, “Feathers,” while still allowing those songs to breathe, and occasionally destroy everything they came across.

Together, Dead Meadow and Jennifer Gentle was a one-two combination that absolutely killed. If you missed it, count yourself a fool; if you caught it, you know how lucky you are, and either way you should still count on catching them whenever they come back.

Word.

Sunday – 03/25
TV On The Radio
Moore Theatre

My guess is, if you’re going, you’ve already got tickets. I haven’t checked or anything, but I’m willing to bet this puppy is well on its way to being sold out. TVOTR’s Return to Cookie Mountain received heaps of praise in 2006 year-end lists, and although I don’t particularly like the record, I respect the guys behind it.

Monday – 03/26
Badly Drawn Boy
Neumo’s

I saw BDB up in Vancouver right after the release of One Plus One is One. He was so proud of the album that he played it in order in its entirety. Then he took a short break and came out to do a second set. After watching a half-hour of this, my concert-mate and I had to take our leave as the garage we had parked in closed at 2 a.m. I have no idea how much longer he played but I can only imagine it was as beautiful as what we had already heard.

Tuesday – 03/27
Page France
Crocodile

I rather enjoyed Page France’s last release Hello, Dear Wind even though the band only seemed to know two chords and really seemed to love Jesus. But their love (of Jesus and those two chords) transcended what might have been major-key malarkey (did you see what I did there? Clever that) and made it into something more touching and real. Their newest, Page France and the Family Telephone is really, really good. Exponentially better than its predecessor, it actually manages to document the sound of a band growing up.